Response of onion (Allikcm cepa) to sulphur application for yield, quality and its storability in S-deficient soils

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on onion (Alliumn cepa L) during late kharqseason (locally known as rangda)in 2001-52 and 2002-03 at Rajgurunagar in Pune district of Maharashtra. The effect of sulphur application on 'B 780' onion on its yield. quality and storability was studied. Sulphur was applied as elemental sulphur 15-75 kglha along with N (100 kgiha), P (50 kglha) and K (50 kg/ha). Onion responded significantly to sulphur @ 30-75 kgha over only NPK. The highest bulb yield 39.1 tonnes/ha with 75 kgiha was recorded. Sulphur content in bulbs was increased by 48.0% due to 75 kg S/ha over only NPK treatment. Pyruvic acid concentration increased from 3.3 p mollml with 75 kg Sha. Storage losses were reduced by 10.4% over a period of 6 months storage due to application of S @ 45 kg Sha in comparison to only NPK treatment. Simple linear regression analysis revealed significant negative correlation between the storage losses of onion bulbs taken as dependent variable and pyruvic acid and total soluble solids as independent variables.